Also called: Paint Chemist, Coatings Engineer
Develops paints and coatings that protect cars, bridges, ships and phones from rust, scratches and sun.
You mix a new car paint, spray it on test panels, and bake them in an oven. Then you blast them with salt spray and UV light for weeks to fake years of weather, and see which recipe still shines.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in chemical engineering, chemistry or polymer science.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science.
Growing about average. Steady niche.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI suggests recipes and predicts paint performance, cutting trial-and-error; lab mixing, weather testing and customer problem-solving stay human.
Classes: AP Chemistry, Art class, Physics, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2041.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.